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Traveller reviews

Travel reviews by Mr & Mrs B from Maryland

Review Distribution

Excellent
Good
Average
Poor
Terrible

Total number of trips

1

Countries visited

2

Lodges stayed in

8

Excursions taken

0

South Luangwa and Lower Zambezi

Zambia and 1 other country between 17 Aug 2018 and 2 Sep 2018

Trip rating: Excellent
"This was my third safari, and my wife's second, and by far our favorite.

We would gladly go back to Zambia and visit these parks again. We enjoyed every camp, with Kafunta best for driving, Island Bush and Three Rivers best for walking, and Chongwe best for boating and canoeing.

Expert Africa's arrangements worked perfectly, with all transfers on time and no difficulties with any of the reservations."

Arranged By Amanda Bond


Ilala Lodge

Ilala Lodge

"Ilala Lodge review"

2 nights Arrived 18 Aug 2018
"Ilala Lodge is a wonderful small hotel just a short walk away from the falls.

Rooms are very comfortable, service and food were excellent. The Ra-Ikane sunset cruise was delightful.

We had to leave very early our last morning and the lodge packed us a very ample breakfast."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Good
Kafunta River Lodge

Kafunta River Lodge

"Kafunta River Lodge review"

2 nights Arrived 20 Aug 2018
"Kafunta has a good location overlooking the flood plain with lots of wildlife always in view, and sometimes elephants right in the camp. The bungalow was very nice.

We had lots of wildlife sightings on the drive to and from the pontoon crossing, and the crossing itself was fun.

Game viewing in the park was good, with a fabulous leopard sighting on our first night drive. We also enjoyed seeing the Mfuwe lion pride by daylight. Our guide Jabes was excellent, but unfortunately became ill our last morning at Kafunta and was unable to accompany us to Island Bush Camp."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Good
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Island Bush Camp

Island Bush Camp

"Island Bush Camp review"

2 nights Arrived 22 Aug 2018
"It was about a 2 hour drive to island Bush Camp from Kafunta, and we arrived in time for a game drive. We would have preferred to walk but because our guide at Kafunta had been unable to go with us to Island they were short one guide. Sitting in the safari vehicle for a game drive following the drive to camp was not ideal but we enjoyed it nonetheless with sightings of hyenas and genets.

The next morning we had a very interesting walk, and we felt that walking at Island was better than driving because the dense woodlands limited views. That afternoon we wanted to walk but were unable to because no scout was available. The camp is extremely simple in comparison to the other camps we visited, but we enjoyed it nonetheless.

We did see impala, baboons, waterbuck, bushbuck, puku, warthogs, and many different types of birds."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Average
Three Rivers Camp

Three Rivers Camp

"Three Rivers Camp review"

3 nights Arrived 24 Aug 2018
"The walk from Island Bush Camp to Three Rivers Camp was outstanding. We were very fortunate to see a leopard and 2 hyenas on the walk, as well as elephants and other game. We attempted to track a lion but never found it. Our guide Andrew, who we had at Island Bush Camp, Three Rivers Camp, and on our return to Kafunta, was excellent, informative, and good company.

Three Rivers Camp was our favorite of the camps at South Luangwa and we loved the star bed. There were lots of elephants in the camp and hippos grazing at night. The area immediately around the camp is very open, making for good driving safari, but further away it is all dense woodland. However, one night we had good sightings of 2 different leopards by spotlight.

The manager TJ was very welcoming, attentive to all details including giving rides from bungalows to the dining area when elephants were in the camp, and a great host. On our last morning we wanted to walk but Andrew told us no scout was available. TJ asked what we had planned and when we reported that no scout was available he found one for us so we had a good walk before driving back to Kafunta."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Good
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Good
Kafunta River Lodge

Kafunta River Lodge

"Kafunta River Lodge review"

1 night Arrived 27 Aug 2018
"We reviewed Kafunta previously. [Ed: see below]

The highlight of our 1-night stay following the bush camps was seeing 2 leopards on the afternoon/evening game drive and 1 of those leopards on the next morning drive. We also watched a very large herd of buffalo drinking at the river, rolling in the mud, and heading back into the bush.

Kafunta packed us a lunch to go and drove us to South Luangwa Women's Project and Tribal Textiles on the way to the airport for our flight to Lower Zambezi."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Chongwe River Camp

Chongwe River Camp

"Chongwe River Camp review"

2 nights Arrived 28 Aug 2018
"We especially enjoyed the boating and canoeing activities at Chongwe.

The camp is very comfortable, and staff was very friendly and helpful. We were surprised with a bush lunch along the river one day.

We had 2 guides here, Stephen and Bright, and they were both excellent. We particularly appreciated their awareness of photographer's needs, always working to position us properly and giving warning when they expected a good photographic opportunity to develop.

Activities at Chongwe seemed to be very flexible, with enough guides that they were able to accommodate every guest's wishes. We arrived late afternoon yet they were able to take us on a short sunset river cruise. When we canoed the next day we had 2 guides for the 2 of us so we each had our own canoe."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Image alt

Tsika Island Camp, Zambia (this camp has since closed)

"Tsika Island Camp review"

1 night Arrived 30 Aug 2018
"We went to Tsika primarily to canoe back to Chongwe the next day, but unfortunately there was too much wind for safe canoeing on the Zambezi. However, we had a wonderful sighting of elephants playing in the river and a very interesting walk through the nearby village.

Tsika is a very small and basic camp, but our bungalow was comfortable and the food was superb.

We were accompanied on the trip by 2 guides, a boatman, and a chef, and there were 3 staff members stationed at Tsika, for a staff:guest ratio of 7:2, so we were very well taken care of."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Activities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Average
Chongwe River Camp

Chongwe River Camp

"Chongwe River Camp review"

1 night Arrived 31 Aug 2018
"We previously reviewed Chongwe. [Ed: see below]

We had a one-night stay here before flying home, and the highlight was an afternoon canoe trip followed by a night drive on which we saw 2 leopards. The next morning our guide took one of us on a short walk before going to the airport.

As we commented previously, their flexibility and willingness to accommodate everyone's requests was greatly appreciated."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

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